7 Things You Can Do To Achieve Work Life Balance

Both men and women struggle with maintaining a balance between their work and family lives. This struggle is accentuated as you move up the career ladder. Leaders on a panel from the INSTEAD Women’s Leadership Conference shared their thoughts on balancing a demanding career and raising a family.

Love What You Do –Make sure you’re passionate about your job, otherwise it’s impossible to do your best work, let alone balance it with family obligations, social engagements and hobbies.

Don’t let life happen to you — make choices. Some people have more energy than others. Know your limits and schedule your time accordingly. Learn to outsource whatever you don’t like to do. Don’t enjoy cleaning the house? Then pay someone to do it for you. If you don’t have time to bake a homemade cake for your child’s bake sale, bring in a store-bought one.

Don’t feel guilty about making time for your family. Both work and family are important, and there will be times when you need to prioritize one over the other. This is normal over the course of a career and if you choose your workplace with care, your employer will respect your choices.

Don’t neglect yourself. The soft issues — such as workplace culture — really do matter. You won’t be able to do your best work if your values don’t align with those of your work environment. If you’re passed over for a promotion because you’re pregnant, it’s probably time to consider a change in company, or forge out on your own. If you need to fit in some daily exercise to maintain equilibrium, set aside the time and don’t apologize for it.